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Mentoring kids and teens through Directing through Recreation, Education, Adventure and Management (DREAM) has positively affected both the children and their mentees.

On April 6, DREAM held their Career Fair on the fourth floor of the Davis Center. 

“We asked a bunch of people who we knew to come in and speak about their careers and to give the teens a chance to hear about some things they might be interested in,” said sophomore Zoe Herwitz, one of the mentors for the program.

Most of the teens participating have not been exposed to these kinds of events, according to Herwitz. The DREAM organization hopes to inspire some of them to pursue degrees in higher education by giving them the opportunity to learn more about the careers they could pursue.

“We wanted to take time out of our week to devote time to just the teens, since a lot of them don’t have the role models they need at home,” junior and co-chair of the program Maggie Duffy said. “We’re trying to provide those for them.”

Duffy said that while she loved being able to see her mentee every Friday as a mentor, she now enjoys being able to plan events as a co-chair. Seeing that the events have a successful outcome makes her job truly worthwhile. 

“Probably one of the more heartbreaking things is that it really gets you thinking about where you stand in the world,” junior and co-chair Madeleine Gibson said.

Gibson said that not every child has someone who he or she can look up to.

“Understanding the backgrounds of some of these kids and the responsibility that is placed on them, having to look after their brothers and sisters, it really makes you want to do more to connect with those kids and help them get involved,” she said.

It has been a logistical challenge to plan events for the organization, according to Gibson. The chairs are often responsible for up to 40 people, including a lot of the children and teens involved.

Laura Aldger, a junior in high school who is involved in DREAM, has benefited from being a part of it.

“I think a lot of the bonding that happens between the mentor and the mentee provides a really good environment for people to be themselves and to learn,” Aldger said.

Although she is a lot older than most of the kids present, Aldger believes that events like the career fair are really beneficial to the mentees, and she is glad they are starting programs like this so early.

Gibson explained that being a mentor is a huge emotional and physical time commitment, but the longstanding relationships that result between mentees and mentors are very rewarding. 

To get involved with DREAM, contact Duffy, at [email protected].

“[DREAM] holds interviews a few times a year, and if you’re interested, we’re always looking for new mentors,” Herwitz said.